Chapter 234

Victoria Johnson clenched the hem of her shirt, her nails digging into her palms. She glared at her brother-in-law and his wife, her mind in turmoil—why did they have to divide the family again after already doing it once?

"Richard, are you against the division?" Henry Johnson's sharp gaze cut into his eldest son like a blade. He remembered the words his daughter-in-law had spoken years ago at the dinner table when he had wanted to bring Emily home after her first year in the countryside.

Richard Johnson shivered under his father's stare. "If you say we should divide, and Anthony agrees, then we'll do it."

"Mom! Dad!" Victoria's voice rose in panic. "Even if we divide, as the eldest son and daughter-in-law, we should take care of you!" She shot her husband meaningful glances, urging him to speak up.

Henry scoffed and pulled out a cloth bundle from his pocket. "This is the family savings—3,200."

He paused, his eyes sweeping over his two sons. "I plan to give 800 to Emily as her dowry and compensation. You all know how much she suffered in the countryside."

"I have no objections!" Anthony boomed. "Richard loves his little sister the most—of course he agrees." He emphasized the words "loves the most" while glancing pointedly at Victoria.

Eight hundred?! Victoria nearly ground her teeth to dust. That worthless girl didn’t deserve that much! She was the one who had borne the Johnson family's first grandson!

"I... have no objections," Richard forced out. The moment the words left his mouth, his wife pinched his arm hard.

Henry counted out eight hundred-dollar bills and handed them to his wife. "Keep this safe for Emily when she returns." Margaret Johnson wiped her tears—this sum wasn’t even a fraction of what their daughter had earned in work points all those years.

"The remaining 2,400 will be split equally between you two." Henry divided the money into two stacks. "Richard, why is your wife glaring at me? Think Emily got too much? You spent more than this on your wedding!"

Anthony swiftly counted his share and handed it to his wife, then suddenly raised his voice. "Mom, why didn’t Emily come back with you? If someone hadn’t secretly signed her up back then, she wouldn’t have suffered all this! I curse that person to die alone in old age!"

Victoria's teacup clattered to the floor. She scrambled to pick up the pieces, cutting her finger on a shard—because years ago, she had been the one who sneaked to the neighborhood office to register Emily's name, all because her mother-in-law kept saving eggs for that worthless girl...

"Move out after the New Year," Henry said coldly, his gaze freezing over as he stared at Richard and his family. "Richard, take your wife and children and find another place to live."